Luxury is fashion's call for fall season

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Touches of fur, spangled sequins and elaborate lacework dazzled on the runways of New York Fashion Week as designers infused their fall 2011 collections with grown-up glamour not seen for a while. But rather than just evoking the aesthetic of old Hollywood, the presentations that concluded at Lincoln Center last Thursday appealed to contemporary shoppers.

“It's not like that old-ladies-who-lunch feeling—it's more about elegance,” said Liz Rodbell, executive vice president of merchandising at Lord & Taylor.

Returning luxury to the runways makes sense now that those shoppers are back in action. Sales of high-end fashion skyrocketed 72% between 2007 and 2010, and were up 35% in 2010 alone, according to recent data from American Express Business Insights.

Designers ranging from the tried and true, such as Donna Karan and Elie Tahari, to ones newer to the scene, including Stacey Bendet and Rebecca Taylor, featured sophisticated looks with costly fabrics and intricate beadwork. Some, such as Michael Kors, added a twist with minimalist silhouettes.

One unifying thread was the bold, uplifting color—from acid pink to bright blue to fire-engine red—not traditionally associated with fall that popped on catwalk after catwalk.

The glamorous styles are a marked departure from the Bohemian and activewear looks that ruled the runways in recent seasons as tight-fisted shoppers hungered for wearable, versatile clothing.

“My customer has been in jeans for the last year; she's wearing the Boho look right now,” said Stacey Pecor, owner of Olive & Bette's. Her four boutiques generated revenues of about $18 million in 2010, and business this month is up 16% from last February, according to Ms. Pecor.

“The main trends I'm looking to for our customer [for the coming fall season] are long skirts, tonal dressing and ladylike sophistication,” she said.

Ms. Karan and Mr. Tahari—designers that traditionally cater to a mature clientele—had many such looks in their collections, but so did younger designers. Alice & Olivia, Ms. Bendet's line, presented outfits imbued with a flapper vibe, and Tracy Reese included fur stoles with many of her gowns. Lace was prevalent at Monique Lhuillier's show.

Young to play dress-up

“The younger, contemporary designers are starting to show dressed-up clothes based on luxurious fabrics, and when this happens, it's an indication that young customers are going to start dressing up,” said Stephanie Solomon, fashion director at department store Bloomingdale's. “That's big news for retailers.”

It's also news that could lead to profits. Expensive clothes translate to heftier price tags and more cha-chings for stores. Things are already looking up at Bloomingdale's. Parent company Macy's Inc. reported earlier this month that 2010 sales rose 6.5% from the previous year, to $25 billion.

Mr. Kors' collection further cemented the movement toward polished fashion. Many of his long, lean looks featured hemlines that grazed the knee or even touched the floor. The designer is rolling out a massive store expansion, including the recent leasing of Kenneth Cole's former Rockefeller Center digs, for his 30-year-old brand.

At Vera Wang's show, accordion pleats on skirts provided newness but also reinforced the minimalist principle. Retail experts think such expressions will have wide appeal.

“Because the age range that can wear these kinds of looks is so broad, [the styles] will do really well in a lot of different categories,” predicted Kerry Pieri, features director at trend forecasting firm StyleCaster.

Show-stopping red

One clear sign of optimism was the presence of bright color. Though many designers opted for black and gray or autumnal tones, including mustard-yellow and burnt orange, shades usually reserved for spring also emerged. Rebecca Taylor included an electric-blue ruffled skirt with a sequined top, and Milly, Michelle Smith's label, accessorized models with brightly hued leather gloves.

But show-stopping red made it into the lineups of almost every designer, including Mr. Kors and DKNY.

“Red is a very positive color,” said Ms. Rodbell of Lord & Taylor. “It makes people feel good.”

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